Unemployment in Kansas is trending down both month to month and compared to numbers from a year ago, but job growth numbers remain slow.

The state's May seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.7 percent. This was down from 3.8 percent in April and from 4.2 percent in May 2015.

"Not only does this represent a steady decline in the state's jobless rate over the past three months," said Kansas Secretary of Labor, Lana Gordon. "But this is also the lowest rate we've seen in more than fifteen years."

The preliminary seasonally adjusted job estimates from the Kansas Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 2,600 from April. Since last month, Kansas private sector jobs increased by 2,400. Professional and Business Services jobs saw the largest growth in the private sector.
 
Over the year, Kansas lost 700 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs. Kansas gained 400 private sector jobs since May 2015.

"The May report holds mixed news for the Kansas labor market," said Tyler Tenbrink, Senior Labor Economist, Kansas Department of Labor. "The unemployment rate has continued downward in recent months which is a good sign for people looking for work, however, job growth across the state remains stagnant over the last 12 months."

Kansas not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs decreased by 5,000, a 0.4 percent decrease since May 2015. Not seasonally adjusted figures show Kansas lost 3,100 private sector jobs since last year, or 0.3 percent. The state gained 5,500 total not seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs over the month, or 0.4 percent. Since April, not seasonally adjusted private sector jobs increased by 6,500, or 0.6 percent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised seasonally adjusted preliminary total nonfarm job estimates for April down by 100 jobs, from 1,395,500 to 1,395,400. Seasonally adjusted private sector jobs were revised down by 200 jobs, from 1,139,800 to 1,139,600.

Seasonally adjusted estimates for May show that the state's labor force declined by 5,072 to 1,504,240. Of those in the labor force, 1,448,603 Kansans were employed and 55,637 were unemployed. This month's net change in the labor force was attributable to 3,483 fewer Kansans counted as employed and 1,589 fewer unemployed.

Over the year, the labor force expanded by 10,190 persons, with an increase of 17,270 in employment and a decrease of 7,080 in unemployment.

The labor force participation rate was 67.8 percent, down from 68.1 percent in April and up from 67.7 percent last May.

More information can be found at the Kansas Department of Labor's website.